The recruitment week for clubs lasted seven days.
After Ye Ran registered, he didn’t think much more about it. What bothered him more now was class.
Lately, every time he attended, he could feel a gaze fixed on him, sticking to his back like a shadow.
He already knew the guy’s name—Liang Feng—the class’s life committee member.
Their first large lecture was History of Chinese Art. The professor lectured from the podium while Ye Ran sat alone by the window.
He didn’t know anyone in the class. The painting major only had a little over twenty students—more girls than boys—and since Ye Ran had been assigned to a different dorm, he was even less familiar with them.
Fifty minutes later, the bell rang. Footsteps echoed in the hall as students began packing up.
A girl sitting in front of him suddenly turned around, hesitant. “Ye Ran.”
“Hm? What is it, class monitor?”
The painting department’s class monitor was a girl named Nie Anrou. She had a gentle nature and was one of the few classmates Ye Ran could talk to comfortably.
“Do you know our classmate Liang Feng?” she asked.
Ye Ran froze.
Nie Anrou continued, “He’s dating Lin Ziqian, a senior from second year. They had a big breakup scene in the boys’ dorm a few days ago. You live farther away, so maybe you didn’t hear.”
“I really didn’t know,” Ye Ran said.
He could tell Nie Anrou wasn’t mentioning this for no reason, but he also knew this kind of thing could cause trouble—especially with such a public breakup. It could affect the department’s reputation too.
“I overheard the sophomore advisor talking to Lin Ziqian in the office yesterday,” she added softly. “Apparently, Lin Ziqian said they haven’t actually broken up yet, just had a fight… But I noticed—” she paused, eyes landing on Ye Ran, “—doesn’t it seem like Liang Feng really wants to get close to you?”
Ye Ran’s heart sank instantly.
He understood now why the class monitor had told him all that. Even though he hadn’t said a single word to Liang Feng all week, Liang Feng’s attitude had been obvious—and with a few others around him spreading things, how the rumors might grow was completely out of his control.
“Thank you, class monitor,” Ye Ran said. “I understand.”
Nie Anrou sighed. “It’s an undeserved misfortune for you, too. I didn’t expect Liang Feng to be like this… sigh. Senior Lin Ziqian can be a bit stubborn. We can all see your attitude toward Liang Feng. I just wanted to remind you—don’t let your guard down.”
***
It was nearly midnight by the time Ye Ran returned to the dorm.
When he pushed the door open, the smell of food hit him.
Little Fatty was watching a sitcom, the volume turned up too loud. Amid the bursts of canned laughter, Shen Shi’s sharp eyes flicked toward Ye Ran. He had already finished eating and was slouched in his chair, idly playing on his phone.
“You’re back?” Shen Shi’s gaze swept over him from head to toe, his expression darkening subtly. “What’s wrong?”
Ye Ran, holding his takeout, was still thinking about his conversation with the class monitor. Distracted, he sat down and said softly, “Nothing. It’s just a bit hot outside.”
Little Fatty paused the show and glanced at the gloomy sky outside.
The weather forecast had warned of heavy rain over the next few days. Luckily, it was already Thursday; since no one had classes on Friday, they didn’t need to worry about going to the teaching buildings.
Ye Ran had bought rice noodles for dinner.
The aroma was rich, the fried peanuts crispy and soft inside. After taking a bite, his mood lifted slightly.
Then, remembering Liang Feng, his spirits sank again.
Annoying.
Liang Feng hadn’t spoken to him all week, but that passive attitude somehow made it even more uncomfortable.
Just then, a glass of lemon water was set down on the desk in front of him.
Ye Ran froze.
Shen Shi had appeared beside him at some point, tall and looming, his shadow enveloping Ye Ran. His gaze dropped slightly, sweeping again over Ye Ran’s faintly downcast expression.
“The school just opened a milk tea shop,” Shen Shi said casually. “The lemon water’s pretty good.”
Ye Ran took it. The drink was lightly chilled, the ice-cold tang helping to steady his mood.
“Thanks.”
“Mm.” Shen Shi sounded offhand, but then asked, “Why are you back so late today?”
The fourth class ended at 11:20 sharp, yet Ye Ran hadn’t returned until nearly twelve—far later than usual.
“There were a lot of people at the rice noodle counter,” Ye Ran said, pressing his lips together.
Shen Shi’s eyes darkened. “Mm. Go on, eat.”
After returning to his own seat, Yu Ting—who had been sent to dig up information—came back.
-I asked around. The whole thing’s turned into a big mess.
Shen Shi: [What thing?]
-That sophomore in the art department—the one I pointed out before, wearing the black choker, all lovey-dovey with his boyfriend.
Shen Shi: [Get to the point.]
-Fine, fine. So that guy and his boyfriend broke up. Apparently that night he stormed into the other’s dorm and yelled his head off. The whole building’s been gossiping about it.
-What’s that got to do with Ye Ran?
-Yeah, that’s what I don’t get—Ye Ran’s not involved at all. At most, that guy just happens to be in the same class as him.
-Wait—hold up, I think I’ve figured it out!
-That guy’s name is Liang Feng. Isn’t he the same one who tried to hit on Ye Ran at the club fair?
-D*mn, this really is an undeserved disaster.
Shen Shi’s face went completely cold, his eyes flickering with suppressed rage.
-He’s gay. Ye Ran isn’t.
Yu Ting: […]
Yu Ting: [Haha, well… who can really say for sure?]
Yu Ting: [Also, I just found out that Liang Feng and his boyfriend both joined the astronomy club too. Our club only allows fifty members, but even counting old and new, there aren’t twenty yet. The president already approved them.]
Yu Ting: [Your application hasn’t been announced yet. The president says if your name goes public now, the club might actually have to start functioning properly again. So they’ll only announce it after recruitment ends. You okay with that?]
Shen Shi couldn’t care less about any list. Face still cold, he sent back a curt “Mm” and shut his phone.
In the dorm, Little Fatty was still watching his variety show, and Brother Shu was deep in an online game, the keyboard clacking nonstop.
Ye Ran had his desk lamp on, its soft orange glow spilling over one side of his face.
He ate quietly, head lowered, the tiny mole at the corner of his eye accentuating the pale clarity of his skin. His fingers, long and elegant around the chopsticks, paused midair as he drifted off in thought. His lashes drooped faintly, and after a few more bites, he set the chopsticks down, sipping the lemon water through the straw.
Ding dong.
A group message popped up on Ye Ran’s phone.
In the [Astronomy Club Family] chat, the president had posted the list of current members. Tomorrow was the last day of recruitment—but with the torrential rain outside, it was unlikely any freshmen would stumble upon their half-dead club.
President: This year we’ve recruited ten new members! Another great achievement! Please give a warm welcome to our newcomers—
President: Astronomy Club Members.xlsx
Ye Ran opened the file casually. The club had fifteen members in total.
Aside from the ten newcomers, there were only four returning members including the president.
A truly marginal club.
Scrolling down, Ye Ran’s gaze slowly froze—
Zhang Nianyi
Qi Sansheng
…
Ye Ran
…
Liang Feng
Lin Yiqian
The sweet-and-sour lemon water suddenly tasted like nothing at all.
Ye Ran set down his cup, silently staring at the list.
The reason he had joined the astronomy club was simple: to spend the semester quietly and earn some extracurricular credits.
But clearly, that plan was now impossible. Whether it was Liang Feng or Lin Yiqian, they would disturb the calm rhythm of his days. If it came to it, he’d just join another club. Tomorrow was still before the recruitment deadline—there was time.
Perhaps his expression had been too revealing, because Shen Shi suddenly looked over at him. The black-haired boy’s expression was calm, lazy and indifferent, but his gaze—dark and cool—caught Ye Ran’s heart, which was slipping downward, and held it in place.
“What’s wrong? Lemon water not to your liking?”
Ye Ran shook his head slowly. “It’s good.”
It was just that his heart felt like it had been squeezed.
Shen Shi said, “Good. Remember to check the group messages.”
Ye Ran froze. “Group?… What group?”
Other than the dorm group, what other group could he share with Shen Shi?
“The astronomy club group,” Shen Shi said. “Meet tomorrow night at 8:00 in Mingli Building, Room 317, for the welcome meeting.”
Ye Ran instinctively flipped through the group messages. At the bottom, he saw the notification the president had just posted—exactly what Shen Shi had said.
Wait a minute.
He suddenly had a premonition. His thin eyelids widened slightly, and he stammered, “…Shen… Shen Shi, you’re in the astronomy club too?”
“Mm,” Shen Shi replied patiently, letting him finish. His expression was still cold, but his tone was soft and gentle: “I’ll go with you tomorrow night.”
…Go with him?
Go with Shen Shi?
Ye Ran froze for a long moment. Slowly, a small, delighted smile began to bloom in his eyes.
His eyes were made for smiling—almond-shaped and delicate, naturally extending at the corners, pure and clear like a flowing stream.
“That’s great.”
He felt his fingers tremble as he held the phone.
Really, it was great.
He wasn’t alone anymore.
…..
After a brief pause, two messages appeared in the [Astronomy Club Family] group chat:
Ye Ran: [Received]
Shen Shi: [Received]
*
Friday night, 7:50 p.m.
Room 317 was a multi-purpose classroom. The tables and chairs had been arranged in a circle, with snacks like preserved plums, sunflower seeds, and tea spread out—very much a “leisure club” vibe.
The budget had clearly all gone toward food.
Liang Feng had just finished smoking; the smell still clung to him.
Turning the corner of the stairs, he saw a familiar figure in the shadows.
The boy wearing a black choker leaned against the wall, a small bell tied to it. He wore a long coat, leather combat boots, and a tattoo barely visible on his collarbone—two letters: [LQ].
A look of impatience flashed in Liang Feng’s eyes. “Lin Ziqian, do you find this amusing?”
“Huh? Why not?” Lin Ziqian swiped on his phone and smiled. “It’s pretty entertaining.”
“You initiated the breakup and agreed to part amicably. Yet it still ended up with the whole department knowing. What are you trying to do? And now you’re following me into the astronomy club?” Liang Feng’s face was icy.
“Not trying to do anything,” Lin Ziqian crushed his cigarette between his fingers. “I just think if I’m unhappy, you shouldn’t be happy either.”
“You’re insane,” Liang Feng’s gaze was full of disbelief.
Lin Ziqian laughed. “Stop wasting time with me outside. Your new lover’s coming, right? I’m curious. How long have you known each other? Same class, a month?”
“Lin Ziqian! How long have we been together? Four years? Five? I’m almost forgetting.”
Liang Feng’s expression changed instantly.
“Lin Ziqian!”
***
To set the atmosphere for the welcome meeting, only the back two rows of lights were on in the classroom.
The president calmly queued up a newly released movie. “The astronomy club’s mission,” he solemnly declared, “is to provide the most comfortable viewing experience for everyone!”
The vice president nodded repeatedly, handing out fruit while reminding everyone, “If it’s not enough, let me know—I bought plenty for everyone!”
An old member looked around. “Is everyone here?”
Yu Ting raised his hand. “Not yet, two more missing!”
The classroom, already noisy, grew louder at this announcement. Old and new members exchanged glances. The vice president spoke for them: “President, the ‘Shen Shi’ in the group—is it a coincidence, or…”
The president chuckled. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Yu Ting watched the eager expressions of his friends and silently poked them on WeChat.
-Why aren’t they here yet?
-Just waiting for you two!
….
“Slap.”
The classroom door opened.
Two figures appeared at once. Ye Ran’s hair was damp from the rain. Before leaving, he had worn a dark green coat, which suited his pale complexion. In the light, his black hair and almond-shaped eyes looked clean and striking.
Shen Shi stepped slightly to the side, blocking most of the room’s gaze. A girl inside stifled a squeal: “So handsome.”
“Is this the campus heartthrob?”
He seemed unaware, nodding politely to the president at the podium. “Sorry, we’re late.”
“No, not late,” the president said cheerfully, holding a steaming pot of tea. “Grab a seat quickly—we’re about to watch a movie… ahem, start the welcome evening.”
Under everyone’s gaze, Shen Shi didn’t enter fully. He tilted his head down slightly, his voice soft as he told Ye Ran, “Leave the umbrella outside.”
Ye Ran obediently closed his umbrella and set it down by the door.
In the far corner, Yu Ting waved them over. Shen Shi and Ye Ran walked toward him; there was no one else seated at that table except Yu Ting, which made Ye Ran quietly exhale in relief.
“You two took your time,” Yu Ting said.
Ye Ran blinked—an unconscious habit whenever he was nervous or uncertain. “I tripped on my way out…”
“Go on,” Yu Ting prompted.
Ye Ran cringed a little. “There’s a broken step outside our dorm building. I didn’t see it.”
He’d stepped right into the gap. Luckily, Shen Shi had quick reflexes and caught him in time—otherwise, he’d be in the campus clinic right now instead of this classroom.
Shen Shi slid a cup of hot tea toward him. “Have some water.”
“Mm.”
Ye Ran took a sip to soothe his throat.
Once everyone had arrived, the club president began preparing to play the movie. As usual, they had to take a group photo first for “official records,” so everyone straightened their backs and tried to look proper.
Ye Ran stared ahead. At some point, he suddenly felt a gaze on him—uncomfortable, heavy.
He turned instinctively.
Across the classroom, at another round table where only two people sat, were Liang Feng and a stranger.
When Ye Ran looked over, Liang Feng smiled casually—but there was a shadow in his eyes. Then, without any obvious movement, his gaze flicked toward Shen Shi beside Ye Ran.
That stranger must be the rumored Lin Ziqian.
Lin Ziqian had one leg crossed over the other, spinning a slender cigarette between his fingers. He wore light makeup, his eyeliner long and sharp. Four studs glittered along his right ear. Ye Ran had plenty of classmates who dressed like that—it didn’t surprise him. He gave a quick glance, then looked away.
“Oh,” Lin Ziqian gave a low whistle and said with a grin, “not bad. Just your type.”
Liang Feng’s expression darkened. “Shut up.”
“What? I can’t say that?” Lin Ziqian drawled. “Let me think… over the years, you’ve cheated what, ten times? And all ten were the same kind—pretty, clean-looking boys. Tell me, why did you even pick me up back then? I was never your type.”
Liang Feng’s jaw clenched tight. “I don’t want to dig up old garbage. Like you never slept with anyone else. Forget it—I regret it anyway.”
Lin Ziqian gave a small laugh, but there was no humor in his eyes.
He slowly lit his cigarette, letting the smoke curl up and drift toward the other side of the classroom—toward Ye Ran, who was sitting quietly, head tilted up, watching the movie.
A moment later, the boy beside Ye Ran tapped him lightly on the shoulder and switched seats with him, without saying a word.
Tch.
Lin Ziqian blew out a ring of smoke, hiding the twisted emotion in his eyes.
“Looks like your new crush already has someone by his side,” he said after a pause, his tone faintly mocking.
The vice president came over to remind him not to smoke indoors. Lin Ziqian nodded, then pressed the cigarette out in his teacup. The yellowish water instantly turned murky with black ash.
The girl froze for a second, her expression awkward, then turned and walked away.
Liang Feng said nothing.
Lin Ziqian narrowed his eyes. “But it’s fine. You can tell that guy’s straight just by looking.”
“Straight?” Liang Feng finally spoke.
“Yeah,” Lin Ziqian said quietly. “A straight guy… can’t be touched.”
“You still have a chance.”
Liang Feng didn’t reply again.
Lin Ziqian gave a small, humorless snort, suddenly finding the whole thing boring, and stood up to leave the classroom.
…..
The Astronomy Club was showing a recently popular Hong Kong–Taiwan film. The projection screen in the multi-purpose classroom was clear, and the speakers blared with sharp sounds of gunfire and running.
Bang!
Onscreen, the protagonist’s car flipped over, crashing off a bridge into the sea. Water poured through the cracks, flooding in, and the man’s face distorted in agony on the screen.
Light flickered—bright, then dim. Ye Ran turned his head slightly; the round table in the corner was now empty. Liang Feng and Lin Ziqian were both gone.
“Watch the movie,” came Shen Shi’s quiet voice by his ear.
Ye Ran froze for a moment, then his gaze lifted naturally toward Shen Shi.
On the screen, knives clashed under harsh light, while in reality, dim shadows flowed gently across Shen Shi’s face. Sitting in that soft play of light and dark, his features—brows, eyes, nose—were outlined sharply. His tone was casual as he said, “Don’t mind other people.”
Ye Ran was silent for a few seconds, then smiled faintly. “Okay.”
…..
By the time the movie ended, it was past nine. Everyone helped clean up the trash, and when Ye Ran and Shen Shi finally returned to the dorm, Little Fatty and Brother Shu had already showered and were sitting around exchanging gossip.
“Ye Ran, Shen Shi, you’re back?” Brother Shu looked up as the door opened. “Your club sure takes its time, huh? What were you guys doing for so long?”
Ye Ran took off his damp jacket. “We were watching a movie all night.”
“D*mn!” Little Fatty exclaimed—he’d already heard about what kind of club that was, but still felt a twinge of envy. “What movie?”
Ye Ran couldn’t quite recall. He’d been distracted during the first half and only started paying attention near the end. “Something with ‘Project’ in the title—”
“Dragon River Project,” Shen Shi supplied, glancing at him.
“Yeah, that’s it—Dragon River Project,” Ye Ran said.
“I’ve heard of it,” Little Fatty said. “Got good reviews, right? I never caught it in theaters though. My club’s way worse—almost a hundred members with the seniors included, air conditioning in the big room doesn’t work, we’re sweating to death while they make us play matches. Next event they’re splitting us into three separate teams.”
Little Fatty was in the Go Club—just for fun, with zero foundation.
Brother Shu sighed in sympathy. “Ours is a hassle too. They made everyone do self-introductions—seventy, eighty people in a row. My social anxiety was killing me, wuwuwuwu.”
“Ugh,” Little Fatty said in disgust. “Can you not make that gross sound?”
Brother Shu teared up. “But our whole club is full of guys! My dream literary goddess… she’s gone, woo woo woo woo woo…”
Little Fatty rolled up his sleeves. “I said, stop making that disgusting sound!”
“At the next event, everyone has to introduce a book they like, and I didn’t bring any of my treasured ones to school—woo woo woo woo woo woo.”
Little Fatty: “……”
Little Fatty pounced like a hungry tiger and smacked Brother Shu hard on the head. “Stop with the woo woo woo crap already! D*mn it!”
Ye Ran laughed, took off his shoes, and pulled out some clothes from the closet. He turned to Shen Shi and asked, “Shen Shi, do you want to shower?”
Shen Shi said, “You go first.”
Ye Ran nodded, light-footed, and went into the bathroom.
The hot water pattered down. He leaned his head back comfortably, letting the water run down his shoulders and neck, washing over his body.
Liang Feng should have gotten his hint by now.
Hopefully, they’d have no more interactions from here on out.
